The tortuous tale of bees and insecticides

2012 may be seen as the year when it finally dawned on people in the UK that bees needed protection. High profile campaigns were launched by Friends of the Earth, by the Soil Association and by Buglife aimed at raising awareness of the threats bees face. Several scientific studies were published showing that the behaviour of bees could be affected by the widely used insecticides, the neonicotinoids. The Environmental Audit Committee of the House of Commons initiated an investigation into Insects and Insecticides and this is currently gathering evidence. No one can predict the outcome of the investigation or the effect on policy.

I wanted to gather together some of the strands of this story and so I have written a blog post (The truth about pesticides and bees?) for the blogging network, Occam’s Typewriter.

Recent photographs

The first page of my article on solitary bees in the July/August edition of Resurgence and Ecologist Magazine showing a male hairy-footed flower bee.Resting Nomada Marshamella bee seen at Totnes May 11th 2018Green Hairstreak Butterfly seen at Gara Rock 13th May 2018Sicilian Honey Garlic (Nectaroscordum siculum) seen by the roadside on May 5th 2017 between Dartington and TotnesAutumn Crocus growing through grass on Dartington Estate in Devon, October 16th 2016A Bombus pratorum worker meets a white crab spider and the end is not a good one for the bee, May 30 2016Tadpoles in Leechwell Garden, Totnes - February 20th 2016Buff tailed bumblebee (B. terrestris) worker on grevillea, Torquay, December 9th 2015Juvenile Common Lizard seen in Dorset, August 2015, photo by Hazel StrangeRed-tailed bumblebee queen seen towards the end of March 2015 in South DevonAn Ivy Bee seen on October 14th 2014 near Paignton in DevonAn Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillar, seen in Staverton, Devon, September 2014. Photo by Hazel Strange. The shoe is there for size comparison.We saw this Great Green Bush Cricket in August 2014 in Dorset. It is at least 4cm long!Saw this plant growing in cracks between the stones on the Cobb at Lyme Regis in Dorset. I think it is Rock Sea-Spurrey. The photograph was taken by Hazel Strange (August 2014).